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Dutch Girl Chocolates
Category: Food Specialty Food Chocolatiers and Shops Chocolatiers and Shops [Edit]
1002 Commercial DrVancouver, BC V5L 3W9
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 251-3221
- Hours:
Mon 12 pm - 6 pm
Tue-Sat 11 am - 6 pm
Sun 12 pm - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for Dutch Girl Chocolates
15 reviews in English
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Review from The Curvy Gourmet H.
Vancouver, BC
5/3/2012 3 photos
"Chocolate is the answer. Who cares what the question is." ~Author Unknown
I am a self proclaimed Chocoholic...I admit it, I'm OK with my addiction. So as I am sitting here writing my belated review of Chao Phraya Thai restaurant, I am munching on the most incredible treat from Dutch Girl Chocolates on Commercial Drive. Finding truly great hand-made chocolates is quite high on my priority list no matter which city I live in. In Vancouver I have been fortunate enough to find a couple of amazing places that offer up more than the traditional Godiva or Purdy's. The little shops run by only a few people with a passion for being different and offering up original flavors.
Dutch Girl is a tiny gem nestled on Commercial Drive, between the vintage shops and unique pubs. They are quite busy this time of year with the onslaught of Easter and multiple bunnies to supply.
Dutch Girl would not be true to it's namesake without having a selection of "droppies" or "dropjes", which are imported licorice candies. They are divided into 2 categories: salty (zout / zoute) and sweet (zoet / zoete). I was first introduced to these by my step-dad who would eat the saltiest ones like jelly beans. While I myself could barely handle one of them.
Pink, green, and baby blue foil wrapped chocolates are sold in pouches, baskets, and bundles of every size. Reminiscent of the days when the Easter bunny used to leave trails of eggs all over our house. Always leading to the large chocolate sculpture hidden somewhere.
My goal is a bit more refined. Dutch Girl offers a wide selection of hand made truffles made with divine Belgian chocolate. My favorite of which is the Salted Caramel. Soft yet firm, and the perfect texture to bite and let melt on your tongue. Unlike some other mass made truffles, these have a dignified flavor that boasts of its ingredients rather than preservatives and chemical enhancers. Definitely the perfect treat for a stroll on Commercial Drive.
Supporting our unique businesses is what makes Vancouver so special. I grew up in a city where the gross majority of the stores were a chain. A franchise bought to be set up and run by franchise standards. These may not be the 2 for a $1 chocolate bars that a convenience store has, but I guarantee you that they offer you so much more in flavor and experience.
Not to mention the hilarious solid molded chocolates for our modern age. In such shapes as a play-station remote, Ipod and laptop computer. What a way to show your tech-savy lover you care! -
Review from Remi C.
5/19/2012
SWEET! Well, sugar free sweet anyway. I was able to find "drop" Mentos, which you can only find in the Netherlands, and sugar free licorice. It was a pretty good score! The only problem is the pretty ridiculous prices. It's good for the every once in a while treat, but definitely not something I would go out of my way for.
I didn't actually try any of the chocolate, but as a dutchy recently returned from the Netherlands, it was nice to see lots of authentic stuff! -
Review from Wendy Y.
3/14/2012
My experience at Dutch Girls was very disappointing. I bought a Champagne truffle and a port wine dark chocolate and blah...they were bad enough I don't even know where to start.
The Champagne truffle was dusted with white icing sugar. It shaped like home-made nougats. The truffle had a "crust" and the filling was firm. I couldn't taste any Champagne and the filling was not smooth. The filling tasted like a lump of mediocre chocolate.
I was hoping the port wine dark chocolate could redeem itself and the former but this was equally unsatisfactory. The dark chocolate was alright (smoother than the former), but where is the port wine? It was barely detectable.
Aside from my bad purchases, the interior of the shop is inviting. It carries a wide selection of chocolates and candies, even from foreign countries. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
I don't know if I visited the shop on its "off" day, but the quality was not there. Would I return? Probably not.Listed in: Baked Goods/Sweets
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Review from Simon K.
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
On search for a chocolate fix with my significant other, and somehow on a gloomy day, we ended up on the 'Drive', and the last time we were in front of this store late last summer it was closed. Well, as the start said, at that moment, the fix was needed, and this place has had rave reviews, so what is stopping me from going in.... nothing!
This store is charming when you enter, from the outside, with it's rustic old look, a fine friendly small place, with that hint of 'Dutch' once you enter. From the wood counters to the wooden display, all the chocolates are laid out quite pretty, most of the individual chocolates that are displated in the front counter are made in the back, and there is an opening to see their workspace. My partner ended up ordering two of the liquor based chocolate pieces. We had our pieces on the street, while walking, and they were nicely presented, while we looked, at all the details on the individual pieces, we were waiting to get our teeth into them. For liquor advertised chocolates, and in this city me and my partner have had our fair share from other individual shops, I can say they were lacking in the liquor taste. The chocolate itself was very smooth, but it was off the mark.
I'm going to say, I will have to come back again to give this place another run, maybe I was here on an off day. I hope that their art of chocolate lives up the next time I decide to sink my teeth in! -
Review from Isabelle G.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2012
I have very high respects for chocolatiers 'cause they perform an art I have yet to master in my culinary endeavors.
I walked into the store and the shop keeper is the chocolatier herself which is rare in the city to have the actual chocolatier in house running her own shop (Dutch Girl Chocolates).
Of course being the social butterfly that I am, talked chocolate shop with her for a good twenty minutes and indulged by sugar allowance in two hand made artesian pieces: Mango and pomegranate.
I never knew until today that something better than sex could come in a 1" by 1" square of mango liquor ganache filling wrapped in dark chocolate. You do taste a bit of the alcohol, however, it is not over powering and the flavor will linger in your mouth well after 30 minutes. I called this the foreplay of the best love making ever for my mouth.
The real experience came with the pomegranate chocolate which was nicely decorated in edible metallic red paint. I love pomegranate and is the most underrated flavor in the chocolate world for cocoa pairings.
I was missing Bad Girl Chocolates pomegranate chocolate so bad (she had a baby recently so that's understandable) and needed a fix. It tasted like heaven in my mouth and for those 2 minutes, time stood still. -
Review from Eva B.
1/10/2011
This shop combines my two favorite sweet treats, chocolate and black licorice. The first time I came here I was absolutely delighted with their selection of licorice treats. Some of which I have never seen anywhere else. I recently tried the half wine gum half licorice candies. They were stupendous. In addition, everything I have ordered here is fresh.
As for the chocolates, they are very well executed. I love the earl grey and honey, mango, Advokat (Dutch brandy), and the white citrus and cream truffles. I like to go here to buy gifts for friends. They are always well received as they are delicious and well presented. -
Review from Louise G.
3/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Dutch Girl Chocolates....A migraine sufferer's worst nightmare.
How can one resist such lovely treats??? I try and resist this place as much as possible. But it's so hard. Even the threat of extreme cranial agony can't stop me from occasionally succumbing to the lure of this chocolate. It does get me to try other things in an attempt to lessen the amount of chocolate I eat. The candy treats here are also beyond compare. Marzipan ladybugs and marzipan piggies. Om Nom Nom. My boyfriend loves their selection of licorice but I must confess, I am the only person on the planet who dislikes black licorice. He still loves me. And I still love him, even with licorice breath!
Dutch Girl.... I think I love youListed in: There and Back Again
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Review from Janna Maria V.
Québec, QC
2/24/2010
I bought a couple of boxes of hand-picked chocolates here for my boss around Christmas. She loved them.
Also, my husband buys me risque valentines chocolates from there. He says ask for the 'special chocolates'. hehe. -
Review from Alyssa T.
Chilliwack, BC
10/21/2009
Walking along Commercial yesterday, the phrase "Dutch girl Chocolates" caught my attention, being a dutch girls myself.
We went inside the store and were pleasantly surprised with what we saw. Plenty of the treats a good little dutch girl needs. Licorice, peppermints, imported sweets and most importantly, truffles.
Now I would go ahead and say that I have been spoiled with chocolate and specifically truffles in the past, and know a thing or two about them. And I would say these truffles were perfectly adequate, the flavours semi-adventurous and generally well executed. My only comment would be that the quality of chocolate they are using could be higher. That being said we enjoyed our after dinner truffles very much! -
Review from Victoria R.
BC
12/24/2008
Chocolates and licorice. Black licorice. I like the big thick cubes of both!
Handmade and authentic Belgian chocolates are what has kept this tiny store in business all these years. There are imported chocolates, 75 different types of licorice, truffles, hedgehogs, cookies and loads more. The back of the store offers chocolate lovers to watch the good stuff being made. But you'll need more than your change wallet to buy some of these chocolates. They're fairly pricey and are placed to measure. -
Review from Andrew C.
Vancouver, BC
11/13/2011
Stumbled into here while waiting for a bus; so happy that I did. I loved the chocolate, but more importantly so did the birthday girl. The young woman who picked everything for me was incredibly helpful and friendly, and the chocolates speak for themselves. The quality and service make it a great value. It's probably a good thing I don't live closer. I couldn't be happier with this place.
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Review from Kelley R.
Vancouver, BC
8/20/2009
Who doesn't love walking into a shop full of delicious chocolate creations? Dutch Girls is the shop I always head to when I need a hostess gift or a special way to say thank you. Everyone appreciates a sweet treat and the staff at Dutch Girl are consistently helpful, offering suggestions and creating beautiful little boxes of sheer happiness.
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Review from Gloss E.
3/2/2010
These chocolates are heaven. Not even sure I can pick a favorite, but I do wish I had grabbed more of the mango delight and chai angle. Worth the $plurge.
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Review from Nadine N.
Vancouver, BC
11/1/2008 1 photo
Five pieces of chocolate for $8! Trust me, you need the price to be high to stop you from eating a kilo of these delicious, handmade chocolates. They've got a large variety to choose from including salted almond truffles, earl grey and honey truffles, hedgehogs, and my favourite, the Cleopatra, with soft, creamy caramel inside. If you like black licorice, you are in for a big treat because they've got almost as much licorice to choose from as they do chocolate.
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Review from Jenny G.
Richmond, BC
2/28/2011
Best on the Drive.
